Honor Dad with true grit(s) ... and sausage

Back in 1916, Woodrow Wilson wanted to make Father's Day a national holiday, but according to The Associated Press, the U.S. Congress, "fearing commercialization," declined to make it one.

Back in 1916, Woodrow Wilson wanted to make Father's Day a national holiday, but according to The Associated Press, the U.S. Congress, "fearing commercialization," declined to make it one.

Stroll by any number of stores these days, and the "World's Greatest Dad" coffee mugs, ties and barbecue aprons tell it all: Congress was right. Cigars, lawn and garden equipment, electronics and restaurant dinners are among the things we buy for our dads.

But even with all of the spending on dads — about $82 per person — we spend 75 percent more on Mother's Day, according to the New York Daily News. So you can't blame dads for thinking that even though Father's Day was eventually signed into law in 1972, maybe it never became commercial enough.

Rest assured, it is in your power to remedy that. The legendary Hammacher Schlemmer catalog offers (and this is just a sampling): a Wurlitzer jukebox ($9,000), a stainless-steel traditional Japanese bath or "ofuro" ($20,000) and a Stock Car Racing Simulator ($60,000). Not commercial enough? Go for the Personal Submarine ("fully classified and certified") for a cool $2 million.

Or declare your solidarity with Congress and reject "commercialization" entirely. Make your dad something from scratch, something he will enjoy. Something like ... breakfast.

A new book called "Texas Eats" by Robb Walsh gives you plenty of recipes, including an entire chapter on East Texas boardinghouse fare that will have you salivating: eggs, biscuits, grits and sausage.

Father's Day is a good day to teach kids the beauty of a gift from the heart. A homemade card or hand-crafted gift and a shared meal teaches generosity of spirit, and honors Dad more than buying him his own personal submarine. Keep telling him that. If you must spend money, a copy of Walsh's exceptional "heritage" cookbook would do nicely.

In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the oil and process for 10 seconds until coarsely ground.

Pour a small amount of oil into a skillet, just enough to lightly coat the bottom, and heat. Fry a small nugget of the sausage mixture and taste it, then adjust the seasoning if necessary. Process for another 5 to 10 seconds until well ground.

In a saucepan set over high heat, combine the broth and water and bring to a boil. Slowly add the grits, whisking constantly. When all of the grits are incorporated, decrease heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until soft and creamy.

Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses, butter, salt, black pepper and cayenne; stir until just mixed. Serve hot with Tabasco on the side, and eggs poached in milk (see below) on top, if desired.

Pour the milk into a small skillet and heat over medium heat until steaming. Do not let it boil. Carefully crack 2 eggs into the milk and poach until the whites are set and the yolks are still running, or to desired doneness. The timing will depend on how hot the milk is and how "done" you like your eggs.

While the eggs are cooking, spoon some of the grits into two warmed bowls. When the eggs are ready, using a slotted spoon, put 1 egg in each bowl. (You don't have to worry about draining the eggs because the milk tastes good with the grits.) Repeat with the remaining 2 eggs.